Caramel Brownie Bars

Last month, which in fact was last year too, was the last Ladies Breakfast at my church. I wanted to bring something along for the ladies to win and enjoy. I had to come up with something sweet and nice for the holidays, but I didn't want it to be cupcakes. That was a challenge, because cupcakes is mostly what I do. Well, I guess this new year more sweet treats are coming my way. Let it come to me, cause I am more than ready to take on new challenges. I can do it!

Anyways, let me focus on the subject, going back to the treats for the beautiful ladies at my church and the last breakfast of the year. Everything you read or see on TV is about cookie swaps, but I didn't want to get them cookies (a good reason being is that I still haven't mastered the art of decorated sugar cookies). Being a big fan and lover of chocolate and brownies, and the fact that my husband came home a nice gift, the Perfect Brownie Pan. And that is when it finally clicked, bars was the magic word for me.

After making a search in the internet and reviewing lots of recipes I picked two. One had to had chocolate in it and for the other something fruity was ideal to contrast and complement each other. Get it?

Bars:
Oatmeal Berry Bar
Caramel Brownie Bar (I added walnuts, which is optional)

Found nice tins in a craft store and brought some tins full of delicious sweet bars. Just what the holidays ordered and a special Happy Holidays to all the great ladies (friends) that gets together to share and have fun!

Julie and Julia

Hello everyone, guess who is the proud owner of Julie and Julia's DVD + a bonus gift?....yeap... ME and I also got the book. My sweet husband went to the store on release day December 8th and got me a nice present. I have been talking about it (ok, asking , ok nagging about it) ever since I found out the release date. Yeah, I have been a pain in the behind, very annoying, but I really wanted to own it.

Why? you may ask, well not only it's about Julia Child, and I totally think she was the pioneer women that opened the way for lots of creative people in TV. She did not only followed her passion for food, but she also inspired many and got people that felt incompetent in the kitchen to feel comfortable and to trust themselves. Many can relate to that, I know I can.

My husband watched the movie with me and his expression was, "was someone filming us?", at times it really felt like that. The pep talks both Julia and Julie's husbands gave them, felt like what my husband tells me. Plus the scene when Julie's husband sets up the blog for her was hilarious, my husband designed mine. He is still the one that fixes it when I want something done and I am stuck (lets be honest that happens often). He's always telling me that he is the "Icing on my cupcake", and he truly is. So imagine our reaction when we heard Paul Child refer to himself as "the butter on her bread". It was just spooky. Don't you think so? Crazy, ha!

Family is my priority and if you know me you would also know that. But I also love sweets and not being in the workforce for years now has left me with lots of time in my hands. Something that I felt related to Julia Child, I wanted to do something and wanted to do it right. I do bake with love, with passion for my family and friends. Someday, not far away, I will own my own bakeshop and you will be the first to know about that very expected event. Until that day comes by lets enjoy baking together and have fun along the way.

You did guessed it, I loved the movie and felt related, inspired, pumped up with more energy on keeping up with what I love and live up my dreams to the fullest. If you haven't seen it, please do go and see it asap, it's worth it, trust me! But for now, everyone out there keep on blogging and Bon Appétit!

What a gift!

Ok, maybe most of you already have one, but I didn't and I am in love with it. And yes, I got it for Christmas and I am soooo late with this news... come on is the end of January... am I late or what?

Well here is a picture of my beauty...

Here is another picture...


Yeah, it's a Kitchen Aid Artisan 5-qt

Isn't it beautiful, jajaja. Some people splurge in big things, expensive things and sometimes in meaningful things... but for me this is a great gift. Not only because it was in my "wanted" list for a while now, but it is a gift I can put to good use for a very long time.

In my early days of baking I used to mix with a whisk or wooden spoon, then upgraded to an electric hand mixer, but this is another league. It makes me feel like if I was cheating to my beloved hand mixer.

The Artisan makes baking feel like a smooth ride in the park. I recommend it to all of you out there that have been wanted to invest in a stand mixer and have no idea where to go to... this is a very good option and it comes in several colors... hey it's a great machine and you can find one in you favorite color too, you can't beat that!

I wanted mines in red, because it's a great color to make someone feel alive. Go for it and choose your color!

Here is a link to JcPenny, where my stand mixer was purchased at: JcPenny Artisan Stand Mixer